Viewbug community member Mariko (Mariko is a Japanese female name) only shoots with an iPhone, primarily the 5s. Enjoy our conversation with her and learn some tricks.

I love photography because:

it has taught me how to see the world around me. I see things now that I haven't noticed before. I love that everyone does it differently and that everyone has their own style.

My camera lets me:

be spontaneous because I only use my iPhone. It is always with me so I don't miss out any photo opportunities. I just take it out of my pocket to shoot. And then there's the unlimited number of image editing apps. It's all in one, which is just perfect to live out my creativity, at any time, wherever I am.

I find inspiration when:

I'm out there walking my dog. I spend a lot of time outdoors, so I find inspiration in what's around me. I also like to travel to beautiful locations in Europe to get some inspiration.

One of the photos I am most proud of is:

I like the atmosphere I was able to capture. This photo was taken in Ebersberg, Germany, half an hour away from my home. I woke up early to be there right in time for sunrise. I love those twin trees on the hill and have already taken dozens of photos of them. But this time I took this other tree in the foreground and the bench as a framing which gave it a very special atmosphere in my opinion.

My favorite place to shoot is:

I love to shoot in the forrest. I love the colors and the mysterious mood. Especially in autumn when the forests are shrouded by fog I could spend hours there taking photos.

3 quick tips I’d like to share with fellow photographers:

The most beautiful things are just around you and waiting to be discovered. Take the time and have a closer look!

To make a beautiful landscape photo unique try to find small details. It could be a flying bird or other animals in the distance or a tiny figure for example.

Sometimes you need patience, a lot of patience, especially when you photograph nature. But it is worth it!

One photo that was difficult to shoot:

A tiny ladybug on an ear of barley because with an iPhone it is sometimes not easy to achieve sharp focus on tiny things. As this ladybug was moving it made it even more difficult.

The tips and secrets behind this photo:

It was taken with the Hipstamatic app, using the Sergio lens and the Blanko Freedom 13 film with the effect flash on. The Sergio lens has blurred edges, strong contrast and a mossy, brown tone, just perfect for this kind of shots. It was a bit of a problem to focus the moving ladybug, but with some patience it worked.

My favorite item in my camera bag is:

my iPhone 5s and its image editing apps. I don't need anything else.

Visit Mariko's profile to see more inspiring shots.